Tracr passes 5 million rough diamonds milestone as De Beers expands provenance push

De Beers Group's blockchain-enabled traceability platform Tracr reached a significant milestone in 2025, with more than 5 million rough diamonds individually scanned and registered, up from 2.8 million cumulative registrations reported in 2024. The...

28 september 2026

South African diamonds head to Hong Kong: SDT partners with BRINKS for JGW 2026

South Africa’s State Diamond Trader (SDT) has confirmed the country's participation in Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong (JGW) 2026 through a partnership with BRINKS. SDT marketing and communication manager Tsholofelo Gopolang Tselapedi...

14 september 2026

David Benderly: PermaScribe seeks to put trust mark on diamond table, not just girdle

In this interview with Rough & Polished’s Mathew Nyaungwa, PhotoScribe Technologies president and chief executive David Benderly explains how PermaScribe differs technically from conventional laser inscription, its potential to strengthen security, and...

31 august 2026

The great reset: Paul Zimnisky on supply catharsis, De Beers' bargain and the case for natural diamonds

The natural diamond industry is in the throes of its most profound reset in a generation. Supply is plunging to its lowest level since 1987 and De Beers—once valued at over $9 billion—is reportedly being sold for as little as $1 billion.
Lab-grown...

10 august 2026

Roman Karakurkchi: Maintaining the highest standards of jewelry craftsmanship

Roman Karakurkchi is the founder of the Roman Karakurkchi jewelry brand and the International Jewellery School that brings together instructors from Russia, the USA, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Italy, and Germany, as well as students from 65 countries...

03 august 2026

Asset-backed cryptocurrency gains momentum in China

21 september 2021
Diamonds have not been a favourite with Chinese investors in the past because they tend to lose their resale value. But thanks to the emergence of cryptocurrency, this attitude towards diamonds as an unviable investment vehicle has changed, says a report in Jing Daily.
A study conducted by the research and advisory firm Forrester Consulting indicated that nearly 40 percent of clients who pay with crypto are new customers. Asset-backed cryptocurrencies are gaining momentum, according to analysts.
Additionally, young and socially-conscious consumers have expressed increasing concern over ‘blood diamonds.’ Ethical consumerism has begun trending in China. Therefore, diamond sellers know there is a strong need to build strategies that re-engage customers for better retention.
Not only do cryptocurrencies appeal to younger demographic groups that are more comfortable participating in the digital economy, but they also create a more transparent, secure, and fair diamond market.

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished